Phil Hughes has been on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation since April 15. Since then, he’s received a cortisone shot, started a throwing program and watched the Boston Bruins eliminate his beloved Tampa Bay Lightning from the NHL playoffs.

Hughes’ throwing program to date has included a lot of playing catch and two bullpens. He’s scheduled for another bullpen Wednesday and could face hitters by the weekend. Joe Girardi said Monday that Hughes’ return won’t be until “realistically, sometime in July.”

After our first interview with Hughes was ruined by an eight-year-old tape recorder that didn’t record, we caught up again with Hughes, who answered nine questions for Nine.

1. The dramatics of the past 24 hours began with Jorge Posada believing that he’d been wronged and ended with his admission -- apologies all around -- that he was wrong. Case closed. Or so we’ve been led to believe.

In the first inning of Sunday’s game, media relations guru Jason Zillo read a statement to reporters: Posada, who’d already apologized to Joe Girardi, met with Brian Cashman and apologized to him, too. Cashman then briefed Hal and Hank Steinbrenner and Randy Levine. The apologies were accepted. No disciplinary action will be taken. “They consider the matter closed,” Zillo said.

2. Derek Jeter, Posada’s best friend, reacted publicly pregame Sunday for the first time. He had his buddy’s back. “He’s like a brother to

So, a few hours ago -- actually, before the game -- I asked Hughes how his arm was. “Great,” he said, elevating and rotating his right arm over his head.

Yes, we knew that. Other arm. You know, the forearm.

“Oh,” he said, laughing. “It’s fine.”

There is a red spot –- not a bruise, not a big mark, but a spot -– on his left forearm, courtesy of Eric Chavez. It’s not painful, Phil said, and it’s not a factor moving forward. It is, simply, a reminder of how his no-hitter didn’t happen.

Maybe that part is painful.

As someone –- don’t remember who or I’d give credit -– was saying earlier, Hughes was more dominant in his no-hit bid than CC was against the Rays. It wasn’t like there